Work/Study Questions

Paying for College
1

<p>Few questions about a work/study...</p>

<p>If the student is unable to work the number of hours per the work/study amount (e.g. 10 hours/week), can it be adjusted or does that risk the work/study entirely?</p>

<p>If a student finds that they cannot manage the work/study along with classwork without risking lower grades/GPA, can they <em>stop</em> the work/study by informing the school that it is not working? And would basically asking to be "relieved" of the work/study risk the remainder of the financial aid package?</p>

<p>This is new territory and I can already tell that the load is heavy and as the semester continues, it's going to get heavier. Any insights appreciated.</p>

2

<p>As with all questions that could significantly impact your financial aid, you should check with your school. Having said that:</p>

<p>Normally, either there are a bunch of special jobs allocated to work-study students, or work-study students get priority for on-campus jobs. I have never heard of a policy requiring students to work the full amount of hours they’re allowed, or of a policy that makes them give up the rest of their aid if they do not do it at all.</p>

3

<p>In my experience, I had $x allocated to me as work study funds per semester. It was entirely up to me how much of that I wanted to earn.</p>

4

<p>Same for my daughters. Work study was a way for students to be given a job to earn money on campus to help cover tuition, books, etc. It was a paycheck to be spent as students needed. It’s an offer that can be declined. My daughters always accepted it.</p>

<p>Most college are very understanding of work study and college work dynamics and adjust. </p>

<p>For instance, during finals it wax very lenient with work hours so long as you gave them notice. Some other student wS usually wanting to take those extra hours.</p>

<p>But each school would have it’s own rules as it were and the jobs themselves have different circumstance, ie a van driver vs a desk clerk vs a life guard vs office worker…</p>

5

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<p>The answer to this – at my D’s school – is Yes, it can be adjusted without eliminating it, and without risking the rest of the FA package. Second semester of freshman year, she decided that she wanted to reduce her hours, and it was no problem. Of course, if the work/study is reduced, that increases your out-of-pocket or loans by the same amount.</p>

<p>Don’t fret too much about work/study; it can always be reduced or even eliminated. And many work/study jobs are more “study” than “work.” My D gets a lot of schoolwork done on the job.</p>